This invention relates to paint and stain removers, and, more particularly, to a cleaner which is able to remove a variety of marks such as paint, ink, magic marker, crayon or stains from surfaces which are at least somewhat non-porous.
Cleaners for removing marks in the prior art generally consist of solvents, water, and/or surfactants. In applying these cleaners of the prior art, the user typically needed to first select a cleaner and an application tool for the cleaner, such as a cloth or sprayer. Once the cleaner formulation was applied, the partially dissolved marking was agitated with a removal tool such as a brush and then removed with a dry cloth or a water rinse.
The cleaners of the prior art are not capable of evenly cleaning a surface because varying amounts of such cleaners are applied to different sections of the surface. This is problematic because the application of an excessive amount often damages the substrate being cleaned, while the application of an insufficient amount yields insufficient wetting of the markings, thus giving poor removal results.
In addition, when applying cleaners of the prior art, the marking typically cannot be treated in isolation. Instead, the marking is softened and allowed to partially dissolve thus causing it to run onto clean surfaces. Another disadvantage of the prior art is that its application tools allow solvents to be released indiscriminately into the atmosphere in excessive amounts. This results in unwanted volatile organics in the atmosphere which pollute the air and cause ozone depletion. The systems of the prior art also cause pollution as water typically is used as a rinse for the cleaner, and is then disposed of into sewers, ponds, or lakes despite the fact that it contains solvents.
There is, therefore, a need in the industry to provide a cleaner for removing marks which can be applied to a surface in a single step using a single tool for applying, rubbing, and removing. In addition, there is also a need to apply the cleaner without the adverse environmental impact of the prior art.